OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – Entrust a bunch of three and four-year-olds with a plenty of tubes, cardboard boxes and wooden planks and you’re not sure what to expect.
For Kathy Widdershoven, program-coordinator of Morning Star Preschool and Child Care Center, she sees light bulbs turning on throughout a room full of kids.
"They have such creative imagination,” Widdershoven said. “We just want to promote math, science, technology and engineering.”
Understanding STEM is no longer the future, but very much in the present, the school embraced the trend through active learning – otherwise known as play says Widdershoven – about three years ago.
The students built ramps, tunnels and bridges – testing its durability by using plastic balls for tunnels and animals for the bridges.
“A lot of times, I'll plan something and they'll take it to a whole another level,” she said.
In a literal sense, yes the kids do take things to new heights, even if they’re not tall enough but no concept is out of reach without some mega Lego blocks nearby to stand on as seen during a recent visit.
While it looks like the children are playing around, Widdershoven believes they’re really letting their minds run wild by learning how to activate them.
